Article Summary

Bonnaroo offers passes using a tiered system: the earlier you buy the cheaper they will be.

For Bonnaroo 2017 the passes varied from $275 on early bird to $350 at the final tier

Bonnaroo offers both a layaway/payment plan as well as an early bird sale

There are a variety of passes: GA, VIP, Platinum, car camping, RV camping, and more

Bonnaroo is one of the three or four most famous music festivals in the country. Unlike some of the other big ones like Coachella or Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo rarely sells out. Still, there are advantages to snagging your Bonnaroo passes early. This article goes everything you need to know about Bonnaroo tickets: presale, VIP options, how much they are, when they go on sale, and more. After this article you will know everything you need to know for Bonnaroo passes.

How much are Bonnaroo passes?

Bonnaroo, like many music festivals, uses a tier system for pricing. This means that they release passes in batches: when one batch sells out, the price will increase. For example, Tier 1 passes during the early bird were priced at $275. Once these sold out the passes moved to Tier 2 and the price climbed to $300. The final price for Bonnaroo passes was $350. That is, the total range of prices for Bonnaroo passes are from $275 (early bird) to $350 (Tier 4). Here is the breakdown of the different Bonnaroo tiers for 2017:

Bonnaroo Tier 1: $274.50

Bonnaroo Tier 2: $299.50

Bonnaroo Tier 3: $324.50

Bonnaroo Tier 4: $349.50

Bonnaroo Presale

The earliest and cheapest time you can get Bonnaroo passes are during the early bird / presale. For Bonnaroo 2017 the presale occurred on Black Friday (11/25/16). The passes cost you $275 plus applicable fees (shipping and processing). This is the absolutely the cheapest time to snag your Bonnaroo passes. If you know you are going to Bonnaroo I highly suggest you take advantage of the Bonnaroo presale.

What passes are available during the Bonnaroo presale?

Bonnaroo always puts up all types of passes during the early bird, so GA and VIP options will be available. Added bonus: if you purchase 4 GA passes you will get a car camping pass for free.

How long does the Bonnaroo presale last?

Typically Bonnaroo puts up their presale offering for about a week. For Bonnaroo 2017 the presale began on 11/25 and it ended on 12/2.

Does Bonnaroo do single day passes?

Interestingly, Bonnaroo only does single day passes if you are doing the shuttle from Nashville. This pass is discussed below. If you want to camp at Bonnaroo unfortunately there is no single day pass: you need to purchase the four day general admission, VIP or platinum pass to be on the actual grounds.

Does Bonnaroo offer a payment plan?

Yes, Bonnaroo offers a payment/layaway plan. If you are interested, we have a full article with all the details on Bonnaroo’s payment plan located here. Here is the quick summary about the Bonnaroo payment plan:

It splits your total costs into three different payments

The payment split is 60% of the total bill on the first payment, 20% on the second, and 20% on the final payment

The Bonnaroo payment plan applies to everything in your cart: VIP passes, camping passes, GA passes, etc. Whatever you purchase can be used with the payment plan.

The final day to use the payment plan is typically the end of March. After this you need to pay the full cost of Bonnaroo passes in one shot.

Do Bonnaroo passes sell out?

Rarely – Bonnaroo is called “The Farm” because it is massive. The grounds can easily hold 80,000+ people, so it rarely sells out. Thus, you do not need to rush to buy your tickets for fear of the festival selling out. That said, as I have mentioned above, you will save yourself money if you purchase your Bonnaroo passes early.

What types of passes does Bonnaroo offer?

Bonnaroo offers three different levels of passes: general admission, VIP and platinum passes. Here is what you get with each level of Bonnaroo pass.

Platinum Food and Beverage Package that includes a Welcome Happy Hour in the exclusive Platinum Hospitality Lounge along with free breakfast on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and daily complimentary Roo Specialty Beverage offerings for all Platinum Pass Holders.

What about transportation to Bonnaroo from the airport?

Bonnaroo offers a shuttle pass that will provide you round trip transportation from the airport to Bonnaroo. The cost of this pass is $60 and can be purchased with your Bonnaroo passes, or on its own.

What about shuttle services from Nashville?

Bonnaroo also offers a shuttle from Nashville if you aren’t down with the camping aspect of Bonnaroo and enjoy showering everyday. I won’t lie, the shuttle is stupidly expensive and not a great deal but if you do want to stay in Nashville it is probably your best option. The shuttle can be purchased on its own, with a Bonnaroo GA pass or with a Bonnaroo VIP pass. If you purchase the shuttle pass on its own it will cost you $210 plus fees. If you purchase the GA + shuttle pass it will cost you $554.50 plus additional fees. Finally, if you purchase the shuttle pass with the Bonnaroo VIP pass it will cost you $1030.

You can also purchase the shuttle with any of these passes for a single day. A single day GA with shuttle is $210.50 plus fees and a single day VIP with shuttle is $329.

What about Bonnaroo camping / parking passes?

Bonnaroo offers a variety of parking and camping passes as well. Here are the various options:

Day parking passes are $39.75 + fees. This gives you one parking spot in the day parking lot beginning at 8 a.m. Thursday morning. The earliest you can enter this lot is 8 a.m. on Thursday. If your vehicle is bigger than a 15-passenger van you are going to need the RV pass mentioned below.

A car camping pass can be had for $59.75 + fees. This is for if you want to actually camp next to your car, SUV, truck or mini van. The pass above is for parking your car and camping in a tent, this pass allows you to have a spot for your car and to camp adjacent to it. This is sold on a per car basis, not a per person, so you can save some money here which is pretty cool.

RV passes are for anyone with a vehicle bigger than a 15 person van. Each RV gets a 20’ by 50’ area where you can set up tents and whatever else you want. This is your area, camp as you like, but make sure everything fits in your area. If you want to park acar with an RV you do need a separate car camping pass and you have to arrive with an RV. The RV prices vary: $250 for just an RV pass but if you want a 30-amp plug in it will be $725 and a 50 amp plug in will be $795.

When do Bonnaroo passes ship?

Bonnaroo passes ship 2-4 weeks before the festival occurs. Bonnaroo typically occurs the first or second weekend of June, so this means passes will begin shipping in late May.

Are Bonnaroo wristbands waterproof?

A surprisingly common question: yes the wristbands are fully waterproof. You can shower with them, go in the pool, sweat, do the dishes and any other water related activities and your wristband will be just fine.

Summary

Bonnaroo passes can be a little overwhelming as there are so many options. I suggest just booking early and deciding how you want to camp. If you are tent camping you are all set as this is included with your pass. If you are car camping snag that with your ticket. In general, buying early saves you mone so if possible try to do that. Either way you will have a blast at Bonnaroo, just decide which option is best for you.